Feed-water regulator



W. H. BERHY.

FEED WATER REGULATOR.

nPmcAlon man mm1. 25. |916.

Patented May 18, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET L W. H. BERRY.

FEED WATER REGULATOR.

APPLICATlou msn MAR. 25. me.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented May 18,1920.

WILLIAM H. BERRY. OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

FEED-WATER REGULATOR.

Application filed March 25. 1916v 5"', ZZ wlw/n may concur/1.'

Be it known that I, W iLmAM H. Binner, a citizen of the United States, residin' at Chester, in the county ot Delaware and i. tate of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in FeedNVater Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in feed water regulators for steam boilers or other vessels in which the automatic maintenance of the level of the water or other liquid is desired, or in which an alarm is to be sounded to warn the attendant in case oli' an undue variation in the level.

The present invention is an improvement upon a former invention covered by Patent No. 726,792, granted to me April 2S, i903, and has 1for its object the providing of separate mechanism for operating the feed control and the alarm whistle, so that they each may be independently adjusted or removed for repairs, It also relates to certain dotails of (':onstruction indicated in the ac companying drawings and specifications.

I have shown two forms of the invention, the principal one ot which is designed to permit a wide divergence o1l the liquid level between the alarms, and the other for use where the divergence may be slight.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation ot' the device intended to take the place of the usual water column, and allow a Wide divergence between the alarms. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of certain valve mechanism taken on the line m-m of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the same on the line lifey/ of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an elevation of a shortened vessel secured to the side of the ordinary water column of a boiler. This may be attached directly to the boiler or other vessel to be controlled, the only dilference being that a. wide divergence between the alarms can not be obtained with the device in this form. Fig. 5 shows details of construction hereinafter referred to.

Similar numerals designate similar parts in the various figures.

1 represents a Water column of the usual type provided with try cocks, etc., and further with internal ribs 20 which keep the elongated fioat 5 in vertical position without undue friction, and prevent it from swinging against the try cock openings. The column l has an offset portion 3, placed Well above the high water line, and

Specification of 'Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1920.

Serial No. 86,762.

opening into the column through an inclosed space 4, through which the members 6 and 7 convey motion from the float 5 to the rotary or oscillating member 8.

Attached by suitable bolts to one side of the offset portion 3 is a fixture 10. This fixture is provided with a projection 9 reaching into the space 4, and a removable cover l5 inclosing a chamber 14.

rThe projection 9 is furnished with a pasl'i connecting the chamber 14 with the space l. and is adapted to receive the member t; in such manner as to allow it to rotate or oscillate therein, and also more endwise sufficiently to open and close the passage 41 by means of the valve face 13 of said mem ber and the seat 12 formed near the inner end o1' said passage 41.

The member 8 may be of varied character, but I show it as consisting of a fiat bar having a circular flange 82 upon which is the check valve face 13, and a liange 83 turned to fit the bore or passage 4l. The steam or other Huid is allowed iree course through this passage all by means of notches 84 cut in the outer part of the flange 82 and through holes 85 in the flange 83. The member 8 is caused to rotate or oscillate by the movement of the float 5 communicated by the connections 6 and 7.

The flat portion of the member 8, Figs. 3 and 5, projects into the chamber 14 and the check valve 13 is kept from its seat by the screw 40 threaded in the cover 15. When it is desired to remove the control or alarm valves for repairs, the screw 4:0 is run back, thereby allowing the internal pressure to force the check valve 13 to its seat thus preventing the escape of steam while the water column is still in service, as in my former patent. To insure the firm seating of the check valve 13, I use a screw 42 threaded in a thimble 4:4 screwed in the opposite Wall of the space 4, such screw to be used for this purpose when necessary.

Pivoted to the interior of the chamber let are levered and Weighted cams 37 and 38, Figs. 2 and 3, adapted to engage an upper part of the projecting end of the member 8 on opposite sides thereof. Projecting forks on the cams 37 and 38 engage a pin 36 placed at the lower end of a stem having a valve 35 which seats in and controls a suitably formed opening in the plug or nipple 2 carrying an alarm whistle. The Weighted cam levers 37 and 38 hold the whistle valve l5 seated until the check valve member 8 rotates suiciently in either direction to engage one olI the levered cams whereby to draw the valve f away 'ronl its seat and sound the alarm.

The plug,l or nipple i, Fig'. 2, is threaded into the wall ol the chamber ll and provided with a loel( nut and soft washer, by means olt which it may be adjusted and lixed in any required position. Serewing it downwardly will cause the cam levers and 3H to swing apart and allow a rela tively great rotary movement oi the meinber B before the alarm is sounded. Screwing it upwardly will have the opposite efv ieet. l am thus able to adjust the alarm limit independently oi the control l'eature, which could not be done willi the device ol' my said former patent.

livoted to the inner lai-e oi' the chamber lJf is the lever rain lo adapted to engage the lower part of the member H and eomY munieate motion to the pilot valve stem lll through the medium oi' the pin llil2 in the forked notch lo in the lever cani 1H. This cam is made right and left for a purpose hereinafter explained, The valve stein 19 has a valved portion 19 shaped to control an opening in the upper end o'F the nipple or plug 21. The stem extends down past the lower end olf said nipple or plug, and is threaded to receive the piston valve 25 adapted to close the cylindrical opening 2G. The distance between the valves 19 and 25 is so adjusted that the openingl 2G will be sufficiently uncovered when the valve 19 is closed. The area oi the aperture 2G being; liberal, but very slight uncovering thereof is sufficient, and a very slight movement of the stem 1%) will close it before the valve 19 is entirely open. When the valve 19 is fully open, the valve 25 travels in the open` ing 2G a definite distance.

Under normal conditions of operation the alarm whistle is not operated for long periods, and it is of great importance to give the 4piston valve 25 a definite movement in the cylindrical seat 2'6 under all conditions, `for the reason that dirt will. aceumiilate on the unused surfaces of the openinp 26, and an occasional exagerated trave of the v'allve 25 will cause it to stick in the seat and impair the working of the machine.

Tn order to prevent the valve F25 from moving to a new or unused position in the seat 26, a definitel amount of motion is given to the pilot valve stem 19 as follows: The pivoted lever cam 1.8 is furnished, Fig. 2, with a notch 18' above the pivot, said notch being flanked by the curved surfaces 182, they having thc same radius as the open ing L11, but being struck from different centers. The object of this formation is to allow a limited oscillation of the cam 18 sufficient to more the valve stem 19 through its desired travel, and then allow the member o to slide on the curved surlace 182 and hold the cam lo stationary while it (the member H) makes the necessary l'urther motion to move the weighted cam levers 557 and lo and sound the alarm at any desired distance.

'l`he plupy or nipple 21 is .similarly threait ed into the wall of the chamber l-l and iurnished with a. loeltr uut and soit washer in order that it may be adjusted and held in position. When it is screwed up it will raise the level to be maintained, and when screwed down will lower it, I am thus enabled to adj ust the water level lindependently ol the alarm devices, as l could not with the combinations found in my said lormer patent, wherein the two functions were a i'eeted by the same member. The ad vantage ol' being able to remove the plug 2l or the plug L with its aeemnpanying parts l'or reggjrii'uling oi' other repairs while the water rolumu is .still in service., is re tained by means ol' the cheek valve 13 closn ing,- upon its seat 'l2 as in that patent when the screw that holdsl it normally unseated is backed off.

On the nipple 21 is formed a hexagon having a threaded opening 2T which is lo cated between the valves 19 and 25. Steam is led through a pipe screwed in this opening;

V2T to the mechanism controllingl the feed pump. I provide three holes in this hexagon and plug, two oi' them for the reason that the adjustment frequently requires less than a whole turn, and one of these holes will point to the desired direction. A union fitting is provided at the outer end of the nipple 2l from which the exhaust is led to a convenient place,

lt is frequently necessary to reverse the action oi' the valves Y19' and 25 for right or left hand installations, a's well as for other reasons, and to accomplish xthis I p'r'ovide another opening i3 in the wall of 'the chamber 14 into which the nipp`l'e'21 may be screwed. 'lhe hole not in use is -pligged as shown.

For instance, if the closing-ofi a lay-pass valve from the feed to the suction of a stantly driven pump, in order to torce water to the boiler, is desired, instead 1of openinrr the feed valve from `an i'nterrit tently driven pump, it is only necessary to transfer the nipple 21 with its accbnipnyinte' parts to the opening 53, and pl'g the hole from which it is removed. :It 'is obvious `that the control ot' water to a boiler irom a constantly driven plunger p'iiiip may he accomplished Yby a by-pass valve from the discharge to the suction, in vtliioh case the 1ov-Iiass 'valve must open fo`1`""h'lf"h water,"a'nd close ior low water, instead i closing); for high water anti opening Tor low water, as is the case when the valve is in the feed line to the boiler; hence the desirability of this reversing feature. Also, it is sometimes necessary to admit and eze haast pressure alternately to and from opposite sides of a piston actuating a belt shifter or rheostat controlling the pump, in which case I use a nipple Q1 in each of the openings at the same time and operate them alternately by means of the above described mechanism, in order to handle a belt shifter or rheostat the extra hole 43 serving this purpose. y this means I am able to accommodate a standard machine to the widest possible range of external conditions.

The operation is as follows: 'ith the boiler in service, and the water at the desired level, the parts or elements would stand as shown in Fig. 2, the valve 19' being partly open, the valve closed, and pressure going to the diaphragm feed-valve through the opening 2T, and stopping the flow of water to the boiler. If the feedvalve were defective or if, for any other reason. the water should continue to rise, the member S would rotate its lower part to thc left first. giving full opening to the valve 19', and full stroke to the valve 25, and then.` its lower edge riding on the curved projection 182 until its upper part strikes the weighted lever cam 2:58 at the predetermined later point. will effect the sounding of the alarm for high water. If for any reason the water should fall, the member 8 would rotate its lower part to the right allowing the weighted lever cams 3T and 38 to close the whistle port; a further fall to the normal would return the parts to the positions indicated in Fig. 2; a further fall would move the cam 18 so as to close the pilot valve 19 and open the piston valve 25, allowing the pressure in the diaphragm-valve to escape through the opening 26, and start the feed. If for any reasou thc water should continue to fall the member 8 would rotate until its upper part struck tbc levcr cam 3T so as to cause the sounding of thc alarm for low water, and so on.

I claim:

1. The combination in lator of an alarm device, an oscillating spindle operated by a float, a'pilot valve associated with said spindle, means for moving said pilot valve through a limited space and then holding it stationary while said spindle moves through a larger arc to operate the alarm device.

2. In a feed water regulator furnished with alarm means, a spindle adapted to be oscillated by the rise and fall of the water in the water column. a pilot valve, means for moving said valve through a predetermined distance and holding it stationary While the spindle oscillates through a greater arc to a feed water reguoperate said alarm means at a more or less Vdeferred time.

3. In a feed water regulator furnished with alarm means, a spindle adapted to be oscillated by the rise and fall of the water in the water column, a pilot val ve, means for moving said valve through a predetermined distance and holding it stationary While the spindle oscillates through a greater arc.

4. In a feed water regulator, a water column having a float therein and adapted to be connected with a boiler above and below the water line. said column being further provided with an auxiliary chamber forming a part thereof, combined with au independently removable and adjustable plug or nipple having a steam passage and an exhaust passage therein covered by valves and connected with means for controlling the passage of water to a boiler, an independently adjustable and removable plug or nipple having a steam passage therein covered by a valve and connected with means for sounding an alarm, an oscillating and endwise moving valve and stem loosely mounted in a valvr` seated passage leading from the fioat chamber and controlled as to oscillation by said fioat and as to endwise motion by means projecting to the atmosphere and connected to the valves in the plugs or nipples aforesaid by interposed means. said means being adapted to operate the feed controlling valve on the initial oscillation of said valve stem through a definite predetermined distance and to hold it stationary while the oscillation of said valve steril through a larger are will opcrate the alarm controlling valve at a more or less deferred period` the construction being such that the endwise movement of said valve stem may be externally controlled to keep its valve from its seat While the device is working.y or force it to the seat and shut off the steam from said auxiliary chamber while said nipples with their accompanying valves are removed for repairs.

5. In a feed water regulator the combination of a water column connected with a boiler above and below the water line, an auxiliary chamber secured to said water column and provided with a valve-Seated opening connecting it with said water column, and a corresponding main valve and stem loosely journaled in said opening and projecting into both chambers, a float in said water column connected by levers to one end of said main valve and stem whereby said stem is oscillated, means projecting to the atmosphere whereby said stem may be moved endwise to seat or unseat its valve at will, an independently removable and adjustable plug or nipple projecting into said auxiliary chamber and provided with a steam port and an exhaust port covered by valves and connected with means for conto endwise motion by trolling the feed Water to a boiler, an independently removable and adjustable plug or nipple projecting into said auxiliary chamber and having a steam port covered by a valve and connected to means for sounding an alarm, means for operating said valves in said nipples from the projecting end of said main valve and stem whereby to cause the feed-controlling valves to move through a definite predetermined distance on the initial oscillating movement ot the main valve stem, and then be held stationary While the Jfurther rotation of the main valve stem will operate the Whistle at a more or less deferred period.

G. ln a feed Water regulator, a water column having a float therein and adapted to be connected vvitha boiler above and below the Water line, said column being further provided vvith an auxiliary chamber forming a part thereof, combined with an independently removable and adjustable plug or nipple having a steam passage and an exhaust passage therein covered by valves and connected with means for oontrolling the passage of Water to a boiler, an independently adjustable and removable plug or nipple having a steam passage therein covered by a valve and connected with means for sounding :in alarm, an oscillating and endvvise moving valve and stem loosely mounted in a valve seated passage leading from the 'float chainl'icr and controlled as to oscillation by said float and controlled as means projecting to the atmosphere, said oscillating and endwise moving valve and stem being connected to the valves in the plugs or nipples aforesaid by interposed means, said means being adapted to operate the feed controlling valve on the initial oscillation of said valve stem through a definite predetermined distance and to hold it stationary while the oscillation of said valve stem through a larger arc will operate the alarm controlling valve at a more orless deterred period, the construction being such that the endwise movement of said valve stem may be externally controlled to seat while the device is working, or force it to the seat and shut off the steam from said auxiliary chamber While said nipples with their accompanying valves are removed for cleaning or repairs.

T. ln a feed Water regulator, a Water column l having an offset portion 3, a fixture lll lun-'ing closable apertures therein, mechanism in said fixture, a nipple adapted to be interchangeably applied to either of said apertures, and mechanism Within said nipple adapted to cooperate with the mechanism in said fixture.

8. In a feed water regulator, a Water column 1 having an offset portion 3, a fixture l() having closable apertures therein, mechanism in said fixture, a plug adapted to be applied to one of said apertures, and a nipple adapted to be applied to the other aperture, said plug and nipple being intcr changeable, and a mechanism Within said nipple, the arrangement being such that the regulator may oe used right or left or both right and left simultaneously by sl'ibstituting another nipple` l`or the aforesaid plug.

In testimony whereof l alix my signature in presence oi tivo Witnesses.

7V. H. BERRY.

lVitnesses z Conxnmrs J. MCHUGH, A. RUSSELL SMITH.

keep its valve from its. 

